So, someone please talk me off the ledge about the o-line this year...

[LaJolla Lion]

LOL I don't think anyone is saying they won't be better, but that they were so bad, being better merely means they suck less, to be blunt.

Time will tell, but they should be a bit better than some think. Last year PSU could not run the ball against anyone so we'll know pretty early on.

 

[lionroar88]

Read the article on the home page. If that doesn't move you off the ledge... there is no help.

 

[BBrown]

Time will tell, but they should be a bit better than some think. Last year PSU could not run the ball against anyone so we'll know pretty early on.

I think many of us are going to be surprised at how a good RB makes the line look better than maybe they really are. Its going to force the LB'rs and Safeties to respect the run instead of just coming full bore at Hack. When that happens it opens EVERYTHING up and that includes the WR's and TE's and now all of a sudden the CB's are playing 7 yrds off the line instead of 3.
Will our line look like the '05 or '08 line? No but its going to be better than last year and thats
all we can really hope for right now.

 

[BlueBand]

I think many of us are going to be surprised at how a good RB makes the line look better than maybe they really are. Its going to force the LB'rs and Safeties to respect the run instead of just coming full bore at Hack. When that happens it opens EVERYTHING up and that includes the WR's and TE's and now all of a sudden the CB's are playing 7 yrds off the line instead of 3.
Will our line look like the '05 or '08 line? No but its going to be better than last year and thats
all we can really hope for right now.

You could also say we'd be surprised how a good line makes a running back look.

 

[BBrown]

You could also say we'd be surprised how a good line makes a running back look.

I could but I think we already know that.

 

[dawgduice]

If you have a "great" RB they can make an OK line look really good. If you have "average" backs they can look good with a strong OL. Witness the running success of Zwinak and Belton as Sophs and JRs. As "seniors" with last year's line - they looked far worse than they were.
We do not have a "great" back (not sure on the Freshmen), we REALLY need a decent OL to have any success this year. I believe the line will be decent. If I were rating last year's line on a scale (1-10) they would have been a 2-3. I expect this year's group to be at least a 5 maybe a 6 (after the OOC games).

 

[lionroar88]

UGH - Zwinak got hurt on the first play of the first game. He didn't have a single carry last year. {brickwall}

Hey - at least I got a 'like' from BBrown! {thumb up}

 

[mn78psu83]

UGH - Zwinak got hurt on the first play of the first game. He didn't have a single carry last year. {brickwall}

Hey - at least I got a 'like' from BBrown! {thumb up}

If you're really desperate for his approval, just say something nice about the Beatles or Echo and the Bunnymen. He'll like it.

 

[acg116]

I think many of us are going to be surprised at how a good RB makes the line look better than maybe they really are. Its going to force the LB'rs and Safeties to respect the run instead of just coming full bore at Hack. When that happens it opens EVERYTHING up and that includes the WR's and TE's and now all of a sudden the CB's are playing 7 yrds off the line instead of 3.
Will our line look like the '05 or '08 line? No but its going to be better than last year and thats
all we can really hope for right now.

Funny you should mention the 05 line....remember how terrible them, and the rest of the offense was in 2004?

 

[dawgduice]

UGH - Zwinak got hurt on the first play of the first game. He didn't have a single carry last year. {brickwall}

Hey - at least I got a 'like' from BBrown! {thumb up}

Point taken, I thought it was a bit later, thanks for the correction.

 

[acg116]

Point taken, I thought it was a bit later, thanks for the correction.

You're correct, it was later...the OSU game I believe. He ran the wildcat against UCF..

 

[GulfCoastLion]

To be honest, I'm not sure how anyone doesn't expect at least some improvement. Last year PSU had 4 green starters. This year there is 1. Last year was a new system and that isn't the case this year. While I don't expect total dominance, common sense says the'll be better if healthy.

Well said LaJolla. Can't add much to this thread that hasn't already been said, other than I thought CJF's approach at the B1G media gathering was a nice tactic. He essentially is up front stating that the OLine is obviously a concern until proven otherwise, however he noted that they have a big chip on their shoulders as a unit. In fact he went as far as telling the media reporters to go ahead an keep on mentioning what an issue the OLine is going to be so our guys can continue to hear it and get further motivated by it.......

 

[trz103]

It concerns me that coach mentioned at media day that they didn't improve as much as everyone hoped in the Spring. He hinted at the same during last years camp as well. Personally I think they are going to struggle mightily again